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STLR Link Roundup – August 24, 2012

A Key Battle in the Apple v. Samsung Patent War Draws to a Close:Over the course of the summer, what has arguably been the patent “trial of the century” has unfolded in Judge Lucy Koh’s courtoom. This week, the trial entered its final stage, when Judge Koh made special preparations to read the epic 109-page jury instructions to the jurors. What were these preparations, exactly? She wanted the jurors to stand during the reading, so they wouldn’t nod off or lose focus.

UPDATE as of 19:15 EDT: The jury has reached a verdict. Details can be found here.

In Non-Apple News, an Emerging Form of Digital Currency Draws Attention:Bitcoins, a digital peer-to-peer form of currency, are emerging as an alternative to standard forms of payment on the internet. While this new payment scheme has thus far been relatively unregulated. This situation might soon change, however. Bitcoins are drawing increased scrutiny from legislators, as they have begun to be used to purchase illicit drugs, among other things. For a more nuanced legal analysis of Bitcoins’ status, read this Temple Law Review article.

AT&T Draws Ire for FaceTime Decision:AT&T has come under fire for its decision to disable FaceTime (a video chat feature native to Apple’s popular iPhone product) on users’ phones unless they subscribe to a specific data plan offered by AT&T. Critics say that the scheme clearly violates net neutrality rules that AT&T agreed to last summer. The company defended the decision noting that the rules they agreed to do not prevent it from blocking use of native apps.